Reading the World: Why Reading Still Shapes Everything We Do

with Dr. Darren Chetty

Reading remains one of the most powerful acts a human being can perform. It is both an intellectual skill and a deeply emotional experience, shaping how children understand themselves, how they interpret the world and how they imagine futures beyond their immediate reach. This keynote explores reading not simply as a curriculum area but as a cultural force that influences identity, empathy and the development of a thoughtful inner life. It considers how reading habits are formed, how they are sustained and how they can be disrupted by the pace and pressures of modern childhood. The session reflects on the quiet rituals that make reading meaningful, from the shared experience of a story to the private pleasure of reading alone. It examines how schools can create environments where reading feels alive, valued and woven into the daily rhythm of learning. We will explore the relationship between reading and language, reading and wellbeing, and reading and the development of confident, curious thinkers. Ultimately, this keynote invites educators to see reading as a gift we offer children: a way of expanding their world, strengthening their imagination and giving them access to ideas that can shape a lifetime. It asks what it means to teach reading with depth, humanity and purpose, and how schools can build cultures where every child feels that reading belongs to them.

Crash Course in Growing Readers: Nurturing the Love of Reading

with Dr. Darren Chetty

Reading is one of the quiet joys of childhood, yet it is also one of the most powerful tools for shaping a thoughtful, imaginative inner life. This session explores how schools can nurture a genuine love of reading, helping pupils discover books not as tasks to complete but as companions that open new worlds. It considers how reading identities are formed, how confidence grows through small successes and how children learn to associate reading with comfort, curiosity and pleasure. Participants will reflect on the subtle conditions that help reading flourish, including the presence of rich and varied texts, the freedom to choose, and the gentle encouragement that comes from adults who read with warmth and authenticity. The session examines how classrooms can become places where reading feels alive and woven into daily routines, and how pupils can be supported to see themselves as readers who read because they want to, not because they must.

Crash Course in Teaching About Identity: Race, Culture and Belonging

with Sarah Truelove Roque, Kristian Wharton, Sarah Jarman and Daniel Edwards

Identity shapes how learners see themselves and how they experience school. This session explores race, culture and belonging with honesty, care and intellectual rigour. It considers how representation, language, curriculum choices and daily interactions influence whether pupils feel recognised and safe. Participants will reflect on how to create identity‑affirming classrooms where every learner can bring their full self without fear of judgement. The session highlights how belonging is built through small, daily acts of recognition and respect, and how schools can become places where diversity is understood not as a challenge but as a source of richness and human connection. It explores how educators can navigate sensitive conversations with confidence and compassion, helping pupils develop a deeper understanding of themselves and others. Ultimately, the session invites schools to build cultures where identity is honoured, difference is valued and every pupil feels they truly belong.

Teaching Language: Lessons from Tokyo

with Carys Soper

What can Japanese language instruction teach us about effective pedagogy, engagement, and curriculum design? This session draws upon insights from Carreg Lam and Ysgol Panteg’s research visit to Japan, exploring key methodologies used in Japanese schools to develop language fluency and literacy. We will examine structured approaches to language acquisition, including phonetic systems, early immersion techniques, and the balance between rote memorisation and contextual application. The discussion will highlight how Japanese educators integrate visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic strategies to reinforce linguistic understanding and retention. Participants will also explore how these findings could inform language teaching in Wales, considering parallels between bilingual education models and effective literacy practices. The session will encourage reflection on how Japan’s focus on discipline, repetition, and cultural embedding could enhance classroom strategies for fostering confident communicators. Join us for an engaging exploration into global pedagogical perspectives redefining how we approach language learning in our schools.

The Future of Childhood: How Society Is Changing What Children Need

with Abi Phillips and Katie Matthews

Childhood is changing in ways that previous generations could not have imagined. This discussion session explores how shifts in technology, family life, community structures and cultural expectations are reshaping the world in which children grow. It considers the pressures that define modern childhood, from constant digital connection to the increasing complexity of social identity, and reflects on how these pressures influence wellbeing, curiosity and the development of a stable sense of self. Participants will examine how children navigate a world that is both more open and more demanding than ever before, and how schools can respond with clarity, compassion and imagination. The session invites educators to think deeply and discuss about what children need now, and how education can remain a place of safety, possibility and human connection in a society that rarely pauses. It encourages a thoughtful re‑examination of childhood itself, asking what it means to grow, to learn and to flourish in the twenty‑first century.

Understanding Religion, Values, Ethics Practice in the Classroom

with Jade Saunders and Alison Coombs

This session will support practitioners in developing a clear understanding of what effective Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE) practice looks like in the classroom. Participants will gain practical strategies for planning and delivering engaging RVE lessons, explore ways to integrate RVE across the curriculum, and reflect on how these approaches can be adapted to enhance provision within their own school setting.

Data Without the Drama: Intelligent Use of Information for Improvement

with Kate Ngwenya and Andrew Phillips

Schools generate vast amounts of information, yet not all of it leads to insight. This session explores how data can be used with intelligence, calm and purpose. It considers how to distinguish between information that genuinely supports improvement and information that distracts from the real work of teaching. Participants will reflect on how to build a culture where data is interpreted thoughtfully, shared responsibly and used to deepen understanding rather than heighten anxiety. The session examines how to create systems that feel humane and sustainable, where information illuminates learning rather than reducing it, and where teachers feel supported rather than scrutinised. It explores how data can strengthen professional dialogue, clarify priorities and help schools understand the lived experiences of pupils. The aim is to help educators use data as a tool for clarity, fairness and meaningful progress, creating an atmosphere where information supports growth rather than pressure.

​Design Thinking in Schools: Creative Problem‑Solving for Real Challenges

with Tanwen Davies

Design thinking offers a structured yet imaginative approach to solving complex problems. This session introduces the principles of empathy, ideation, prototyping and iteration, and explores how they can be applied to curriculum design, pastoral care, leadership and classroom practice. Participants will consider how design thinking encourages curiosity, collaboration and the willingness to test ideas without fear of failure. The session highlights how creative problem‑solving can help schools respond to real challenges with solutions that are both innovative and grounded in the realities of daily school life. It invites educators to think boldly, to explore possibilities and to refine ideas through thoughtful experimentation. The session also reflects on how design thinking can strengthen relationships, deepen understanding of pupil experience and create a culture where creativity becomes a practical tool for improvement. Ultimately, it encourages schools to see design thinking not as an add‑on but as a mindset that can transform how problems are approached and solved.

Cognitive Load: Designing Instruction that Reduces Unnecessary Strain

with Kaysha Wulder

Learning becomes harder when working memory is overwhelmed by too much information or too many competing demands. This session explores the principles of cognitive load theory and how they can be applied to everyday teaching. It considers clarity of explanation, careful sequencing and the design of tasks that support understanding rather than overload. Participants will reflect on how to create lessons that feel manageable, purposeful and intellectually engaging, allowing pupils to focus on the ideas that matter most. The session highlights how thoughtful instructional design can reduce strain, strengthen confidence and support deeper learning. It invites educators to consider how simplicity, structure and well‑timed guidance can transform the experience of learning. By examining real classroom examples, the session shows how small adjustments can make a significant difference to pupil understanding, helping teachers design lessons that feel calm, coherent and cognitively supportive.

The Experience of Feedback: Making Comments That Matter

with Jade Bones and Sarah Atwell

Feedback is an emotional experience as much as a cognitive one. This session explores how comments shape confidence, identity and the relationship between teacher and learner. It considers how pupils interpret feedback, how tone and timing influence its impact and how teachers can craft responses that support growth rather than anxiety. Participants will reflect on how feedback can become a moment of connection, clarity and encouragement, helping pupils understand not only what to improve but how to move forward with confidence. The session highlights how feedback can strengthen trust, deepen understanding and support the development of resilient learners. It explores how feedback can be designed to feel humane, purposeful and genuinely helpful, and how teachers can create an atmosphere where pupils feel safe enough to engage with critique. Ultimately, the session invites educators to rethink feedback as a relational act that shapes the emotional climate of learning.

Philosophical Education: Teaching about Ethical Dilemmas

with Dr Matthew Williamson-Dicken

Children are natural philosophers who ask questions that reach beyond the surface of a topic and into the heart of what matters. This session explores how ethical dilemmas can deepen thinking, strengthen dialogue and build moral understanding. It considers how to structure philosophical inquiry in ways that are accessible, rigorous and emotionally safe. Participants will reflect on how philosophical education helps pupils develop habits of mind that support empathy, reasoning and thoughtful engagement with the world. The session highlights how philosophy can enrich curriculum, strengthen relationships and help pupils explore the complexities of human experience with curiosity and care. It also examines how philosophical dialogue can support pupils in navigating uncertainty, forming values and developing the confidence to articulate their thinking. Ultimately, the session invites educators to see philosophy not as an abstract discipline but as a practical tool for building thoughtful, reflective and compassionate learners.

Teaching the Edges: Reaching Learners Who Sit at the Margins

with Chloe Lewis and Elizabeth Messore

Some pupils move quietly along the edges of school life, unnoticed or misunderstood. This session explores how teachers can recognise and support learners who feel peripheral, disconnected or overlooked. It considers the subtle signs of marginalisation and the relational practices that draw pupils back into the centre of learning. Participants will reflect on how presence, noticing and gentle persistence can transform a pupil’s experience of school. The session highlights how inclusion is built through small acts of attention and care, and how teachers can create environments where every learner feels seen, valued and invited into the heart of the classroom. It explores how to build trust with pupils who may be reluctant to engage, and how to design learning experiences that feel accessible, affirming and responsive. Ultimately, the session invites educators to consider how classrooms can become places where every pupil feels they have a rightful place.

Family and Community Engagement: A Cluster Wide Approach

with Emily Boshein

Strong partnerships between schools, families, and communities are at the heart of successful learning environments. When children feel supported by a connected network of educators, parents, carers, and community organisations, they are more likely to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Family and Community Engagement: A Cluster Approach, brings together educators, leaders, families, and community partners to explore how collaboration across schools and local communities can create meaningful and lasting impact for children and young people. By working as a cluster, schools can share expertise, strengthen relationships, and develop consistent approaches that engage families as valued partners in learning.

Slow Pedagogy: Teaching with Presence and Purpose

with Morgan Dalton and Sian Brooks

​Slow pedagogy invites teachers to create moments of calm, depth and deliberate attention in a world that rarely pauses. This session explores how slowing down can strengthen understanding, reduce anxiety and build connection. It considers pace, presence and the art of designing lessons that breathe. Participants will reflect on how slow teaching can make learning feel more humane, more meaningful and more aligned with the rhythms of real thinking. The session highlights how slowing down can help pupils feel safe, focused and able to engage with ideas in a deeper and more reflective way. It explores how slow pedagogy can support wellbeing, strengthen relationships and create a classroom atmosphere that feels calm, purposeful and intellectually rich. Ultimately, the session invites educators to consider how slowing down can become a powerful act of care.

Children’s Rights: Building a Strong Whole School Ethos

with Nerys Phillips

Children’s rights offer a principled foundation for school culture. This session explores how rights‑based practice can shape relationships, behaviour, curriculum and leadership. It considers how schools can create environments where dignity, respect and participation are woven into daily life. Participants will reflect on how a rights‑based ethos strengthens trust, fairness and the shared values that guide how adults and pupils treat one another. The session highlights how children’s rights can become a living part of school identity, influencing decisions, shaping practice and supporting a culture where every child feels valued and protected. It explores how rights‑based approaches can support inclusion, strengthen pupil voice and create a sense of shared responsibility. Ultimately, the session invites educators to consider how children’s rights can become a guiding thread that shapes the atmosphere and daily life of the school.

Beyond Hearing: The Skill of Attentive Listening

with Dr. Matthew Williamson-Dicken

Listening is an active, deliberate practice that shapes understanding and relationships. This session explores the craft of attentive listening and how it can transform classroom dialogue based on Ysgol Panteg and Carreg Lam’s research in Tokyo. It considers how teachers can model listening with care, how pupils can be taught to listen with intention and how listening changes the emotional climate of a lesson. Participants will reflect on how attentive listening supports empathy, clarity and deeper engagement with ideas. The session highlights how listening can become a central part of classroom culture, strengthening trust and enriching the shared experience of learning. It explores how listening can help pupils feel valued, understood and connected, and how it can support the development of thoughtful, reflective learners. Ultimately, the session invites educators to consider how listening can become a foundational skill that shapes the atmosphere and quality of learning.

Insight Over Output: Rethinking What We Measure

​with Laura Perrett

Schools often measure what is easiest rather than what is most important. This session explores how assessment can be re‑imagined to capture insight, understanding and growth. It considers the limitations of traditional metrics and the possibilities of more thoughtful approaches. Participants will reflect on how to design assessment that illuminates learning rather than reducing it, and how to build systems that value depth, nuance and genuine progress. The session highlights how assessment can become a tool for clarity and reflection, helping pupils understand their learning in richer and more meaningful ways. It explores how schools can create cultures where insight is valued over output, and where assessment supports curiosity, confidence and intellectual engagement. Ultimately, the session invites educators to rethink what they measure and why, and to consider how assessment can become a more humane and illuminating part of learning.

Safety as Pedagogy: The Conditions That Make Learning Possible

with Alana Parry

Learning depends on emotional safety. This session explores how teachers can create environments where pupils feel secure enough to think, question and take risks. It considers regulation, trust and the subtle signals that communicate safety. Participants will reflect on how emotional stability supports curiosity, confidence and intellectual engagement. The session highlights how safety is not an add‑on but a foundation, shaping the atmosphere of the classroom and enabling pupils to participate fully and bravely in learning. It explores how teachers can build relationships that feel steady and supportive, and how classroom routines can create a sense of predictability and calm. Ultimately, the session invites educators to consider how safety can become a central part of pedagogy, shaping the conditions that make learning possible.

Leading the Human Work: Compassionate Leadership in Education

​with Emma Payne

Leadership in schools is human work. It involves emotion, relationship and the daily care of others. This session explores how leaders can act with compassion while maintaining clarity and purpose. It considers presence, communication and the culture‑building work that shapes how staff and pupils feel. Participants will reflect on leadership that is steady, humane and grounded in values, and on how leaders can create environments where people feel supported, trusted and able to thrive. The session highlights how compassionate leadership strengthens community, deepens trust and creates the conditions for meaningful educational work. It explores how leaders can navigate complexity with calm, how they can support staff wellbeing and how they can build cultures where people feel safe enough to bring their best selves. Ultimately, the session invites educators to consider leadership as a relational practice that shapes the emotional and intellectual life of the school.

Curriculum Design and Progression for the Effective Teaching of Science

with Claire Clarke

This session will explore how a carefully planned and progressive science curriculum can inspire curiosity, deepen scientific understanding, and support high-quality learning throughout the primary years. Delegates will examine how knowledge, skills, and scientific enquiry can be sequenced effectively to ensure learners build confidence and understanding as they progress through the primary phase. A key focus of the session will be the importance of connecting classroom learning with the wider world. Through meaningful partnerships with local businesses, STEM practitioners, industry experts, and community organisations, learners can see science in action, gain insight into future careers, and understand the real-world relevance of their studies. The session will showcase how these valuable collaborations can enrich the curriculum, raise aspirations, and provide authentic opportunities for learners to engage with science beyond the classroom. Join us to explore how thoughtful curriculum planning and a clear vision for progression can empower practitioners, enhance learner engagement, and lay strong foundations for future success in science. Together, we will consider how to nurture the next generation of curious, confident, and scientifically literate learners.

Breaking Down Walls: Innovative Nurture Provision in Practice

with Eve Rowlands and Sarah Attwood

This session explores how innovative nurture provision can transform the educational experience for children and young people by removing barriers to learning and participation. Through a commitment to creativity, collaboration, and a child-centred approach, staff have developed inclusive practices that go beyond traditional models of support, ensuring that every learner has the opportunity to succeed. Delegates will gain insight into how nurturing environments, flexible approaches, and strong relationships can help learners overcome social, emotional, and academic challenges. The session will showcase practical examples of how staff have thought outside the box to meet individual needs, foster resilience, build confidence, and create pathways to success for all. Join us as we share our journey of breaking down walls, challenging expectations, and embedding nurture at the heart of school life, enabling every learner not just to participate, but to truly thrive.